How do find enjoyment from your vehicles?

[impactX]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

I had this thought while driving my camry to work this morning. The lack of an engaging ownership "experience" with the camry really takes away my enthusiasm for it.

Yes its reliable, yes its decent on gas, and it'll probably outlast me, but to take a line from Marie Condo, it doesn't spark any joy. It turned into a soulless machine that I used to commute with.

I think when we initially bought it in 2010 it was still an aspirational vehicle to me. ohhhh a brand new 60k lexus!! that meant something to me back then as financially i was in a different stage of my life. Now i literally see it as a camry and i treat it as such. We never took it on any meaningful trips and therefore it never cemented in my consciousness as a memorable car.

My wife's RX plays that role more as we drove it to all sorts of fun places with the dogs. Its our road trip car. Its also the car that protects her and my doggies from the hardships of weather, the city, hobos on hastings, etc. its our little cocoon of silence and i love it for that reason alone.

Likewise i associate my childhood with that shitty 2001 Sentra XE with blood stained seats (you made me bleed my own blood!!!) and manual roll up windows. I actually looked into restoring a 2001 Sentra SE (with the one with the sr20de engine) before just so i can relive some of that childhood experience.

So im curious if thats the same with you guys? does your enjoyment of your vehicles come from a personal connection? or is it purely based on driving enjoyment?

I am late to the party (this thread), I think a big part of it just comes from just being grateful about what you have. You are obviously making good financial decision by not buying a new depreciating asset to fulfill your desire for ownership experience.

For me, I drive from point A to point B everyday, dropping kids off to school, driving to work, getting home from work, etc. I need something reliable that seats 4, will not make a big dent to my bank account with the way I drive, yet fun enough to put a smile on my face when carving some curvy highways. I literally cannot think of any other RWD car with LSD that can do this, compounded by the fact that I have now owned my car for 14 years, and most people who don't know cars cannot even tell my car is over 20 years old.

If you can buy a project car for cheap as a hobby and have the time to work on it, by all means go for it!

[SkunkWorks]

Great thread. Was planning on posting in the personal financial thread but seems apt here.

Since I've just returned to school fulltime, I flip flop a lot on whether I should liquidate the cars (6 between my partner and I) and downsize to one modern car such as a FL5 or GRC.

Between the stress and expense of parking, storage, maintenance, upgrades, sourcing parts, and finding time for wrenching, the time sink and stress surrounding the cars have almost become a second job.

Not sure if I'm just getting old or hitting that stage in life where the older family members are leaving us, but in the past year, the realization that our time here is finite has hit me pretty hard. My "free" time now when not in class is hanging out with the dog, family and friends, or jumping on the bike/skis/trails/water for a romp outside instead. I feel almost guilty to and unmotivated to spend that time on the cars.

And when I do take the cars out, I'm worried about something happening to them - the 911 is worth way too much, the Insight is irreplaceable if it gets totaled, Landcruiser's too mint to take off-road. Then add my questionable timing in deciding to tear apart the M3 and wagon to build a M3 touring few weeks before classes started. All adds up to be too much on the plate when the cars were meant to be an escape from stress, not the cause of it.

On the bright side, I realize I'm pretty privileged to be in this position. Le gf makes double what I did so going back to school hasn't been as huge of a financial burden as it should've been and I can afford to take my time in deciding what to do with the cars.

In the meantime, more dad daughter drives in the 911 are in order.

[Oshiguru]

Going to add my $0.02 to this.

Like most of us here. I grew up with hot wheels, toy cars, car video games, and liking anything with wheels that moves fast. For me, what i enjoy in my personal vehicles includes the wrenching aspect and the driving part. Now as im getting older its the latter only.

There's that little bit of "escape" when driving cars whether its a back road, track/hpde/lapping day. or autox. As I get older and face the expected challenges of a sick parent, job stress, relationship issues, etc its nice to be able to get into the car and escape for a little bit.

Do I regret putting a lot of my income when i was younger into car mods, new cars, lapping days, maintenance, etc? Sometimes I do because I could've been in a townhome/home by now instead of an apartment... but you could say this about any hobby to be honest. However, i've met some great people through these communities, i'm able to do (in my opinion) proper self care that helps me continue with my stressful job (RN) and life, and cars go brr.

I have that 911 itch that Traum mentioned but my job, which fills my intrinsic needs and wants out of a profession, doesn't pay well enough to afford one.. so I will stick to my e36 m3 and enjoy 911s as ride-alongs or being the instructor for a 911 owner at a local track day

[trollface]

6 cars...

[The Producer]

Originally Posted by trollface

6 cars...

i know right?

[whitev70r]

Originally Posted by trollface

6 cars...

... and a sugar mommy!

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

If you’re buying a GT3 RS you’re probably not worried about depreciation or considering it as an asset.

I drove a family friends GT3, who also had a GT3-RS and as I’ve said before the GT3 alone felt like it’s bordering on out of control, race car vibes

Yeah they are.

Rich people still care. 250k isn't even an entry level Ferrari yet. Its affordable if you don't have a mortgage. Plus considering you don't lose much if any on depreciation on the gt3 rs, its a sensible buy

[dark0821]

Late to the thread as well...

To me honestly... this is gonna come out wrong.... it was the time that I got to spend with my friends and dad

- having car wash on drive ways, when it was suppose to be you and your friend, and we ended up outside till past midnight because somehow 15 cars showed up and we took half a block... friends ran out to buy burgers, buns and pop, and someone went home to langley (from Vancouver) to get his BBQ.... fack...
- having the full car apart in the parking lot while you are at work (work graveyard and your supervisor is your friends GF), not knowing if you can put it back together to get home that day, calling friends at 2am to ask questions because you fucked up...
- friend spotting you $10 for gas till next pay cheque because you blew your last 2 paycheques on tires that rubs against your car cuz they are too wide
- believing your friend that a baseball bat can roll fenders
- believing adding LEDS + stickers made your car faster rofl...
- literally taking parts off and back on the car just because you were curious, rounding nuts and screws like nobodys business because you used imperial wrenches on metric bolt/nuts
- hanging off the car in the parking lot with the door open while your friend held you with a backpack/belt/jacket so you can get that impossible angle rolling shot

and this is a big one because I know it cant be repeated....
- having my dad hunch over my car to teach me how to do a timing belt/water pump
- having my dad swear at me (jokingly) cuz I couldnt even hold the work light correctly lololol

my dad is a bit older now and he hasn't held a tool for more than a decade I would say....

So yea, not so much the cars, because I always had crappy cars, but goddamn looking at me now, dad of 2, with a plug-in hybrid and EV as daily for me and wife...damn

[Badhobz]

I’m glad you guys all enjoy your cars in your own ways (with the exception of trollface who doesn’t enjoy anything and is stalked by old men perpetually). I’m also glad that we have such a large community of great individuals in this fucked up, materialistic city, that often generalizes your “enthusiasm” on the size of your wallet and what brand / year your car is.

Refreshing to see you guys enjoying your rides while always keep a weathered eye on the horizon for your next big automotive experience.

[GS8]

Cars are there for you when people don't want to be...

[SSM_DC5]

Originally Posted by Oshiguru

Going to add my $0.02 to this.

Like most of us here. I grew up with hot wheels, toy cars, car video games, and liking anything with wheels that moves fast. For me, what i enjoy in my personal vehicles includes the wrenching aspect and the driving part. Now as im getting older its the latter only.

There's that little bit of "escape" when driving cars whether its a back road, track/hpde/lapping day. or autox. As I get older and face the expected challenges of a sick parent, job stress, relationship issues, etc its nice to be able to get into the car and escape for a little bit.

Do I regret putting a lot of my income when i was younger into car mods, new cars, lapping days, maintenance, etc? Sometimes I do because I could've been in a townhome/home by now instead of an apartment... but you could say this about any hobby to be honest. However, i've met some great people through these communities, i'm able to do (in my opinion) proper self care that helps me continue with my stressful job (RN) and life, and cars go brr.

I have that 911 itch that Traum mentioned but my job, which fills my intrinsic needs and wants out of a profession, doesn't pay well enough to afford one.. so I will stick to my e36 m3 and enjoy 911s as ride-alongs or being the instructor for a 911 owner at a local track day

Are you part of BCNU? If so, your thoughts on the proposed agreement?

Any other nurses or have a partner that is a nurse is welcome to share their thoughts on the proposed agreement.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by Oshiguru

I grew up with hot wheels, toy cars, car video games, and liking anything with wheels that moves fast

ah shit i'm still into these LOL

[SkunkWorks]

Originally Posted by trollface

6 cars...

Got a golf r too

[sonick]

Originally Posted by impactX

I am late to the party (this thread), I think a big part of it just comes from just being grateful about what you have. You are obviously making good financial decision by not buying a new depreciating asset to fulfill your desire for ownership experience.

Yah 100% agree with this, gratitude is huge just in terms of life fulfillment and happiness.

Whenever I look at or drive my E82, I still feel like the kid in university amazed and lucky that I actually own such a cool car, meanwhile to other ppl see it as a 14 year old 'beater'.

[Badhobz]

I wish I was still the 20 year old me instead of the almost 40 year old me. I used to be grateful just having power windows and 118hp. It seems as money goes up, so does your inability to be grateful over the little things.

My dad got into a small rear ender yesterday and the first thing I thought was on his old RX 400h is a piece of shit now (still runs fine, 192,000kms on it) and hopefully I can give him the wife’s RX and buy us a new GX. Thankfully the wife talked some sense in me and told me to calm my man tits as 1) his won’t be written off due to a minor scratch on the bumper 2) she loves her rx and doesn’t wanna get rid of it 3) why the hell do we need another v8 in the family ?!? Especially a daily v8 ?!

If it wasn’t for her my head would be up in the clouds and my Pockets empty.

[supafamous]

Cars have always been a source of release for me - clearing out the stress of life whether I'm working on them or driving them (except for the commute). I used to help my dad do maintenance on our cars - particularly the 1984 Plymouth Voyager (wood panels!) that he had converted to run natural gas (!!!).

Converting an underpowered minivan to run on natural gas was a waste of money that took away all the trunk space the van had which sounds pretty much like the kind of thing I've done with my cars whether it's buying aftermarket exhausts (and selling them), changing the suspension or taking the interior out to soundproof it.

Of all the cars I've owned the two I missed the most are my NC Miata and my Protege5 - frisky fun all day long, I'd always have a smile on my face with those two. And the one that got away were a pair of 2006 NC Special Editions that I could have gotten on the cheap about 5 years ago. If the Porsche dream doesn't happen then I'd still happily kick around in a ND (I need my cars to feel alive).

[sonick]

Weekly gratitude journalling has helped me immensely since I started it 3 years ago.

Originally Posted by supafamous

Of all the cars I've owned the two I missed the most are my NC Miata and my Protege5 - frisky fun all day long, I'd always have a smile on my face with those two. And the one that got away were a pair of 2006 NC Special Editions that I could have gotten on the cheap about 5 years ago. If the Porsche dream doesn't happen then I'd still happily kick around in a ND (I need my cars to feel alive).

Yeah loved my manual P5 too.

[trollface]

Originally Posted by sonick

Weekly gratitude journalling has helped me immensely since I started it 3 years ago.

what exactly is this?

[sonick]

Originally Posted by trollface

what exactly is this?

Basically writing down 5 things I was grateful for from the past week, big or small. Can be about something that went well with work or personally, a good meal, good weather, or even quality time spent playing with my dogs. I do it every Sunday night before bed.

In my experience the actual journalling wasn't what helps, but rather the practice of it weekly made me more aware of being grateful for things around me day to day.

[JDMDreams]

^^ sometimes I get this a thought like this, at my age, my parents, some friend's on FB seems a lot more mature, have kids already, married. Meanwhile I'm here looking at cars and houses to buy

[Tapioca]

Reading this thread again definitely can bring a sense of doom and gloom for people.

No offense, but 6 cars?

I have gotten into the habit of daily gratitude journaling and it has definitely helped my mental health.

[Badhobz]

dont judge guys. 6 cars might seem excessive, but in all honesty compared to the price of houses nowadays, its chump change.

You can have 6 cars at 5-10k each and barely squeak out the same price as a rav4 prime.

I know Skunkworks has much more valuable cars than that, but lets say his fleet is worth north of 300k. so what? thats barely the amount being negotiated off the table when it comes to homes.

Just take a look at the price of your own fleet right now...

Dark has a prius prime and a model 3 and a bike. thats what north of 120k in total right now?
Bic Baws got a CTR and a 5 series which combined are probably north of 150k?

your average revscene-er are all pushing 6 figure fleets.

EXCEPT TROLLFACE
who has negative $$$ because all the old men just suck up all the value as they huddle around his datsun and lick it.

[SkunkWorks]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Reading this thread again definitely can bring a sense of doom and gloom for people.

No offense, but 6 cars?

Not sure if this is directed at me. To clarify, I'm not ungrateful for the cars, I've alluded in my previous post that I'm both privileged and grateful to have them around. It's the fact that each car's responsibilities when combined together is overbearing and taken some of the enjoyment of owning them. Especially since they're all old, they've a lot of needs unlike a turnkey modern car.

The 6 cars aren't even worth one Badhobz LC Corolla

The ideal would be 3 - the classic one to wrench and events, a fun daily, and the family hauler.

[Badhobz]

me: Lousy ratrolla!! You're suppose to be the chosen one. you were suppose to bring balance to the hobz by blending japanese reliability with Italian things.

ratrolla:

[JDMDreams]

How do you guys even have space, I find even 3 is pushing it, I'm too poor to insure all 3 at a time and can't drive that many. Also a pain in the ass to shuffle them around buy storage, keep battery charged etc